


Shallow Waters

by ladyillusion



Series: Divergent Worlds [7]
Category: Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, 幽☆遊☆白書 | YuYu Hakusho: Ghost Files
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Audio Format: MP3, F/M, Little Mermaid Elements, Merfolk AU, One Shot, Podfic Available
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-04-28
Packaged: 2020-06-22 06:26:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19661671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyillusion/pseuds/ladyillusion
Summary: With one last powerful flap of his long scarlet tail, Kurama reached the sandy shore of the beach. His fingers dug into wet sand as he panted, water lapping around him. The sun’s light rose up over the horizon, heralding a new day. He’d made it just in time.





	Shallow Waters

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter is available in audio form for those who would prefer to listen rather than read. Please note that this is a text to speech recording, which means that there may be some issues with it.
> 
> [Stream or download MP3 via Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vzdN03Rz_U6agYmtWfm_uvxJqKDcoM9y/view?usp=sharing)

With one last powerful flap of his long scarlet tail, Kurama reached the sandy shore of the beach. His fingers dug into wet sand as he panted, water lapping around him. The sun’s light rose up over the horizon, heralding a new day. He’d made it just in time.

He’d been warned about the pain, but the witch’s warning hadn’t prepared him for just how bad it would be. It felt as though his tail were being stung by a thousand jellyfish all at once. He thrashed violently in the shallow water, his cries echoing up the empty beach. They were silenced only when he finally lost consciousness.

* * *

“Oh, my god, he’s not wearing any clothes…”

“…But he’s very handsome, isn’t he?”

“More handsome than Prince Koenma?”

“No one is more handsome than Prince Koenma!”

Kurama opened eyes crusted with dried sand. It was way too bright. He brought his hand up to rub the sand away as he coughed, water leaking out of his mouth.

“What should we do?”

Kurama lowered his hand so that he could see the source of the feminine voices. Two young women, both dressed in fine, light dresses and barefoot on the sand, stared down at him. The redheaded girl had her hand over her mouth. The other girl, a blue-haired beauty, looked fascinated.

Kurama felt his heart skip a beat. It was her. It was the girl he’d fallen in love with. The girl he’d risked everything for.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Belatedly, he remembered the deal he’d made with the witch. His voice was hers. His heart sank. How could he tell the beautiful girl how he felt if he couldn’t speak?

Kurama eased himself into a sitting position, another coughing fit taking hold of him. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to meet bright fuchsia eyes.

“You poor thing,” the blue-haired girl said sweetly. “Did you take a fall from one of the fishing boats? You’re half-drowned.”

She rubbed at his face with her sleeve, attempting to get rid of some of the sand crusted there.

Kurama noticed that, beyond the form of the kneeling blue-haired girl, footsteps receded up the beach. Imprints left behind by the red-headed girl, who had presumably gone to get some help.

“What’s your name?” the girl asked kindly.

Kurama shook his head, his long, wet red hair clinging to his face. He didn’t know how to indicate that he couldn’t speak.

Luckily for him, the girl seemed to understand. “Can you talk?” she asked, her pretty face displaying concern.

Kurama once again shook his head.

“Oh, dear,” she said. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

Everything would be fine, as long as he could win her love. Kurama tried to get to his feet, only to feel small, sharp pinpricks of agony digging into the soles. He crumbled back to the sand, choking on a silent cry of pain.

The girl was immediately hovering over him anxiously, her hands fluttering with helpless indecision and distress.

“You must be hurt,” she said. “Please just wait here for a little while. Hana is getting help.”

Hana. That must be the redheaded girl. Kurama allowed the girl to help him into a comfortable sitting position. She patted his shoulder reassuringly as she glanced back up the beach after her friend.

Kurama stared down at his new legs. They looked ugly and ungraceful compared to his beautiful tail. Instead of scales, they were covered in a fine dusting of short hair beneath the sand caked on them. Kurama wriggled his toes experimentally and swallowed a gasp of pain.

The witch had warned him about that too. Mermen weren’t meant to have legs. Even if Kurama won his beloved’s heart, he would spend the rest of his life in agony. Not a single step he took would be free of pain.

But it would be worth it. From the first moment he’d laid eyes on the blue-haired girl, he’d not been able to forget her. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her face clearly. The elegant curve of her nose. The unusual colour of her eyes, as bright as the glowing coral. Her smile as warm as the sun. He’d pay any price for her.

“Botan! Botan!”

Kurama turned at the sound of the shout to see the redhead girl dashing down the beach toward them, kicking up sand in her wake. Behind her followed two men in grey uniforms.

The blue-haired girl rose and waved at them.

Her name was Botan. Kurama smiled to himself as he filed that information away. One day she would be his wife.

There was a small part of him that still wondered if he’d made the right choice. If he’d been foolish to give up his home, his right to the throne of the sea kingdom, and his family and friends, all for a girl who didn’t know he even existed.

But without her at his side, how could he ever be happy? How could he ever be happy with a mermaid queen that he felt nothing for? He could all too easily see himself wasting away beneath the ocean as he pined for this human girl.

The redheaded girl reached them first, seizing hold of the blue-haired girl’s hand.

“I brought the guards,” she said breathlessly.

As one of the men carried him up the beach, Kurama turned to look at the expanse of glittering blue sea disappearing into the horizon. A sharp pang of loss went through him. If all went to plan, he’d never be able to go home again. Never play with his friends among the seaweed. Never swim through the halls of his beautiful home again. Never see his father or mother again.

“I knew I should have worn the other dress…”

Kurama’s eyes flicked away from the sapphire sea to the blue-haired girl Botan, who had lifted the embroidered hem of her pretty dress to stare at the sand sticking to it forlornly.

“I told you,” the redhead girl said flatly from Botan’s opposite side. “You know you were supposed to wear that one for dinner, but now you can’t.”

“The prince is going to be there tonight, too,” Botan said, disappointment masking her face.

Kurama hated to see that. He wanted to see her smile instead, but he could say nothing to make her feel better.

The sand gave way to grass beneath the guard’s feet. Kurama made one last effort to glimpse the sea fading behind them. He could already feel it’s siren song tugging on his heart. Calling him home.

Resolutely, Kurama turned his head away from it. He’d already made his choice. There was no turning back now. The witch had been very clear about that.

“Wait! My shoes!”

“Princess!” the guard not carrying Kurama called out.

Kurama bit back a smile as Botan whirled and flew back to snatch up a pair of shoes from the grass.

“She’s so forgetful…” the redhead muttered. Her eyes briefly flicked to Kurama and her cheeks reddened. She looked away from him.

Botan returned, feet clad in her shoes and a happy smile on her face. At the sight, Kurama felt contented. He’d definitely made the right choice.


End file.
